When Rena first learned about Rubicon, she had been unemployed for seven years, and the barriers she experienced to finding stable employment were numerous. She previously worked in an office setting as a medical receptionist, a career in which she developed many transferrable skills; however, Rena experienced difficulty finding employers who would give her a fair chance to prove her capabilities and reliability once she was released from incarceration. In addition to employer bias, she faced challenges obtaining affordable childcare for her young children during interviews and work hours. She and her family also experienced homelessness as a result of trauma caused by domestic violence, making it difficult to connect with employment because of a lack of basic needs resources. That’s when a former program participant told Rena about the resources available at Rubicon.
“I just heard lots of great things about the different resources they have available and figured they could help me,” Rena says. “I’ve been trying to utilize all of the services that are available in the program.” Rena connected with coaches across all of Rubicon’s holistic programs, including a Financial Coach, Employment Coach, Wellness Coach, and pro bono attorney. With her husband, Rena enrolled in parenting classes and a couple’s course that helped them strengthen their communication with each other and their children. “That was really beneficial. It taught me not only new ways to parent, but also to recognize patterns on why we are the way we are and how to change generational trauma, things to become better parents.”
Rena was also introduced to Rubicon’s Participant Advisory Board (PAB) through Foundations, a two-week series of workshops that introduces new participants to all of the resources and benefits that Rubicon offers. Among a myriad of other supportive services, Foundations gives new participants the chance to connect with legal support, create wellness goals, learn basic budgeting techniques, and connect with other participants who want to be a part of Rubicon’s systems change and advocacy work.
After hearing about how the members effect change in their communities, Rena immediately decided to join the PAB. She already had an interest in advocacy and community outreach, and through her connections to the PAB, she began to see her interests evolve into a career. Now, Rena works in community outreach at multiple Bay Area nonprofits, her housing situation has stabilized, she’s able to pay her bills, and she’s taking college courses related to community advocacy and outreach work. She uses her own lived experience to inspire hope in unhoused families, domestic violence survivors, and formerly incarcerated individuals and continues to sit on several community boards to ensure that underrepresented populations have a voice.
“Rubicon opened the doors for me,” Rena says. “Now I’m able to be in circles that I wasn’t able to be in before, I’m able to support my family, and we’re on the right path.”
